Job fair for veterans scheduled for Dec. 4

Grand Pointe to host ‘Hiring Our Heroes’

November 20, 2013

VIENNA - A job fair designed to help veterans find employment will be held in Vienna in early December.

Two years ago, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched "Hiring Our Heroes," a nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment.

The Mid-Ohio Valley was selected as a site for a hiring fair in May 2012. Organizers have announced the area has been selected to host a second "Hiring Our Heroes" fair Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Grand Pointe Conference Center in Vienna.

The free hiring fair is for veterans, servicemen and women now serving in the military and eligible spouses.

Employers who have job opportunities available, and who have an interest in recruiting military-connected individuals and veterans, are invited to participate.

The job fair is free for local employers to participate; the only stipulation is that they have current job openings and be ready to hire.

Collecting resumes for future potential job placements is not acceptable if they do not have current job openings, organizers said.

The event is open to all area employers. Employers can go to www.hoh.greatjob.net. Scroll down the list of "Hiring Our Heroes" job fairs and select the December 4, 2013 Parkersburg, W.Va. event and the employer option to register.

Registration for employers is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Participating employers are encouraged to set up a display, which has information about their company, the hiring process, and positions available.

The Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley, working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, get the word out to local companies and veterans about the upcoming job fair.

"A new addition to this year's Hiring Our Heroes job fair is the pre-workshop the morning of the event at 9 a.m. on Dec. 4, said Jill Parsons, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley. "If someone has been out of the workforce for a while or has not been in the job market looking for a new job because they've been serving in the military, I would encourage them to make time to come to the pre-workshop."

The workshop will focus on resume writing, tips for successfully navigating the job fair and interviewing skills. The pre-workshop requires registration at www.hohworks.eventbrite.com

Parsons hopes the job fair will be an important step for many area veterans in seeking employment locally.

"Our hope is that attendees will learn about the variety of jobs available in our community," she said. "On the flip side, it is our goal that the businesses and organizations will connect with many viable job seekers.

"Due to the nature of service in the military, servicemen and women come with a unique set of skills that many employers find attractive and lend themselves to a good fit for many organizations."